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Mar 1, 2016

The one with Internet, Rickshaw Economics and Bangalore

Hello! And welcome
back to your favorite weekly commentary on the most inane things that go on in
my life. You may have missed the last 2 posts, but that’s because the last two
posts are yet to materialise and yours truly has been gallivanting about Bangalore
and the other town I call home. Technically, I’m still at home, but this time around
I have mobile – internet connectivity, a cause for celebration in itself.
Hence, I’m posting this blog post from my home – the first time ever, and
probably the first ever from this town even.

And of course,
while we travel there is always scope for an interesting story. Sometimes I
feel like I’m a complication story magnet, what with Taxi drivers and
Auto drivers giving me regular fodder for thought. And Bangalore did not disappoint.

Driver has Mobile - TV enabled on his Rickshaw. Welcome to Bangalore, people.

My Auto driver
(in Bangalore they are called 'Auto’s' unlike 'Rickshaw’s' in Mumbai) had a very
interesting analogy to describe why the Bangalore Metro’s completion would
still not solve the burgeoning traffic problem disaster. I shall try my
best to give you the same flavour as he did in Kannada.

* * *

“Saaar, when
there is some food which is very spicy placed outside, there will be ten flies.
Those ten flies will go and tell ten other flies that this the food is spicy,
don’t go there. So no flies go there eventually, only the new ones who no one
has informed about the spicy food. You understand Saar?”

*I nod my head
solemnly. Flies and food – very solemn stuff. How can you not like spicy food? Preposterous.*

“But Saar,
think of sweet food. What happens? When there are ten flies, they will enjoy
the sweet food. Then they will go and tell ten other flies that the food is
sweet, and they’ll come with more flies. Eventually every fly goes and tells
other flies, and soon there are too many flies. And they keep coming Saar. You understand
Saar?”

*OMG. It's a fly-armageddon*

“Saar
Bangalore is like the Sweet saar. It is capital of state, everyone comes here
and it is better than any other place. So whatever you do, people will still
keep coming here. People will stay here because it is sweet. How metro will
help, you tell me?”

I don’t think
anyone has explained the complexities of rural-urban migration and its impact
on infrastructure & development as this guy just did. He should be at a TEDx event, I think to
myself.

If you've noticed, Auto drivers in Bangalore use only one foot for driving, while the other is neatly tucked into the seat. They're almost facing the door and leaning on to the right, in terms of posture.

“So where are
you from?” I ask him.

He ignores my
question. Either he gets the drift, or he thinks am not “Kannadiga” enough to
deserve an answer. A lot of time people are taken back when I speak Kannada.

Or Konkani. Or Tulu. Or even Hindi for that matter.

But he wasn’t done yet.

“Just look at America
saar. What kind of sweet that must be? Whoever goes to America, they don’t come
back only. I imagine as to what kind of standard they must have brought the
country to, for people to not want to leave. Even once in my life I want to go
to America, and see the place”

“But that’s a
factor of population and education as well, don’t you think?” – I offer.

“Saar, that’s
not the only thing saar. Here people don’t care about anyone. Today everyone is
out to dupe everyone – and you can’t blame them also. They are filled with hate
and anger, they have been duped and are filled with negativity. They do the
same as was done to them. Sister can’t see Brother’s success, brother want’s
all of parent’s property and Parents want to pull down their own children. When
families are rotting, how will society develop?”

“I understand,
but there must be a solution?” – I quiz him.

“Humanity saar.
We need Humanity. Without it, there is no development. Today if a man is dying
by the road because no one will help. If someone does help, the police will
harass him. The hospital will harass him. No one will support him. If it is like this why will
anyone help? But if instead of one person, 10 go and support him, they will all
individually start helping.”

My stop has
come by now, so as I get off, he charges me Rs. 40. That’s 200% more than the
base fare – in all fairness something I had agreed to before I got in.

“Good luck Saar,
have safe journey” he says as he shakes my hand.

Caught off guard,
I reply “to you too” and then quickly add on, reminding him to stay calm
in this traffic and not get his Blood Pressure up.

“This is daily
thing Saar” he says grinning as he rides off.

Moral of the story – Flies doesn't like spicy food?!!

* * *

Bangalore hasn't changed much apart from a city being a city - expanding in all directions, getting more traffic, and filling up with smoke. However, this does not feel like the city I left 4 years ago. Am not sure if it I wasn't paying enough attention when I was around, or if the city really did witness a shift of some sorts. Guess I'll never know. That being said though, I did not find enough time to visit all the favorite haunts and say Hi to everyone in Bangalore - perhaps soon enough.

I did visit the old HQ and meet some of the old gang, and had completely smashed a lunch at one of the best places for Punjabi cuisine in Bangalore ever - Punjabi Rasoi.

UB towers - 7th Floor Represent! (PS - VJM quitting had nothing to do with me arriving the next day)

Tomato Chicken - Highly Recommended at Punjabi Rasoi.

And finally, February has come
to an end, and with that some other things as well. However, for the first time
in many years, I feel a completeness that so much has been accomplished and experienced
in just the start of the year. And we're racing ahead for more.

I also cooked up this piece - When you dig a hole in the ground and scoop out all the dirt, you've changed that space forever.You can put all the dirt and mud back meticulously, but it will never, ever be what it was. Isn't this so with the matters of the heart? Once there's a hole, it will fill up but never be what it was before. Something to ponder if you're on either side - digging or filling. Of course, no one is saying things won't be better off for it :)